Ceremonies

Eternal Flame Ceremonies cares about one thing only; your ceremony, your way. Whatever the occasion, I will help you shape your event and find the words to accompany it. Located in Yarraville, I am very familiar with the local facilities, parks and gardens across the western and northern suburbs. However, I am not limited to these specific areas and do perform ceremonies across all of Melbourne and surrounding rural areas.

Ceremonies are only limited by your imagination. There are House Dedications, Pregnancy Blessings, Step-family Acceptance Ceremonies, Divorce Ceremonies and Pet Funerals. There are milestone Birthday Ceremonies. You may wish to include spirituality or religion, or have neither. I am open and happy to discuss any thoughts or ideas you may have.

Weddings

Your wedding ceremony should be a creation all your own. It would be my privilege to help you design a ceremony as unique and unforgettable as possible. From the more traditional, to Celtic handfasting. Or perhaps a themed wedding such as medieval or even Star Wars! The only limit is your imagination. You might include the lighting of candles, the pouring of sand, or rock or seashell rituals. If you come from different religious backgrounds, we can incorporate traditions from each. You may have cherished symbols from your cultural heritage that we can bring in. Guests can also be involved. Or you may just want pure simplicity. It’s a special day, so let’s make it memorable!

Same Sex Weddings

I am so thrilled for those of you from the gay and lesbian community who, in Australia, can finally make that legal, public commitment before friends and family and marry. Finally, your marriages will be recognised in Australia! Congratulations! It has been a long time coming and I am excited and honoured to be able to help you create the ceremony you have always imagined having!

Naming

A traditional baptism isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But that doesn’t mean you need go without a moving, memorable ceremony to officially welcome your precious child into the world and community. Godparents, or mentors, can play a larger role than usual. Together we’ll craft readings that allow them to speak from the heart in a genuine, meaningful way. Grandparents, too, can be much more involved. And guests can participate in many ways, such as the lighting of name giving candles. Together, we can create the most beautiful ceremony—one your family and friends will never forget.

Commitment ceremony

Perhaps you do not want to get married. Maybe the law does not yet allow you to get married. Neither, however, should prevent you from expressing your commitment to one another before loved ones, and I would be delighted to help create a fitting and memorable ceremony. We can include handfasting, candles, rock, sand or seashells in your commitment ceremony. Guests can participate in many ways. Like weddings, we can make it theme-based. You know how you feel about each other, and I’ll do all I can to help convey those feelings between you and to those close to you.

Renewal of vows

It may have been one year since you were married. It could be thirty years. The time may just feel right to recommit to one another. Perhaps your wedding ceremony was taken out of your hands and this time, you want to do things your way. Whatever the reason, I can help you create a renewal of vows ceremony exactly the way you envisage. We can plan a ceremony that may include the lighting of candles, the pouring of sand, or rock or seashell rituals. You may wish for children to be involved, or decide on a theme that reflects you as you are now. Together, we will craft the details and the words to make your ceremony unforgettable.

Adolescent ceremony

In this era of social networking and cyber-bullying, the pressures on teenagers are greater than ever. They are no longer children, but also not yet adults; it’s all too easy for them to feel insecure, alone and unsafe. So how can we show them our love and support? Have you ever witnessed a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah and wished you could have a similar, yet secular ceremony? There’s no reason why you can’t. I can help you create an adolescent ceremony that will make the special teenager in your life feel loved, cherished and safe. Your guests can participate in this wonderful opportunity to make them feel special. We can use symbols, such as the putting away of childish toys, or rituals to mark the teenage bedroom as their own sacred space. Your special adolescent can be involved in the preparation of this exciting ceremony—and you might be surprised at their ideas and imagination!

Funerals

It is important to me that at this most challenging time in your life, I help you wade through the grief and come out the other side with the very personal story of your loved one. I will spend as long as is necessary with you, to paint an accurate picture. We will discuss music, poetry and quotes. Perhaps your loved one was a football fan and we could play the team theme song. Maybe they loved a particular poet and we could do meaningful poetry readings. The most important thing in a eulogy is that it reflects the person you have lost. This is not a one-size-fits-all ceremony. We can work together and write as many drafts as you wish to create that perfect farewell. After the funeral, I want you to say that this special person “would have loved it.”